


Glimadora Week

by eveynull



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Caretaking, Cliche, F/F, First Aid, First Kiss, Flirting, Fluff, Menstruation, Oblivious, Post-Battle, Scars, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, glimadora week 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-20 05:44:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17016834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eveynull/pseuds/eveynull
Summary: Couldn't help myself! Jumped in on this at the last minute!https://glimadora-week.tumblr.com/Day 1 (Sunday 16th) : First Date/ First KissDay 2 (Monday 17th): Cliche Tropes (Only One Bed, Fake Dating, Fake Marriage, Etc 👀)Day 3 (Tuesday 18th): Domestic Life/ Sneaking OutDay 4 (Wednesday 19th): Flirting / Pet NamesDay 5 (Thursday 20th): After a Battle/ Fighting Side by SideDay 6 (Friday 21st) : The Future.Day 7 (Saturday 22nd): AU Day





	1. Day One - First Kiss

Glimmer leant back against Adora’s side and sighed, her hand going naturally to the other girl’s and curling their fingers together, almost magnetically attracted like it was just their normal state of being – which as far as they were concerned, it absolutely was. A moment later and Adora’s arm had come around her in response, bundling her closer into a warming cradle of an embrace.

_It was after a hard-won victory, she’d turned, wiping off a layer of sweat from her forehead, she couldn’t wait to get back to Brightmoon and recharge. Then she’d seen Adora, the last glow of She-Ra’s aura fading from around her; she was panting herself, filthy and battle-weary, bent over and wheezing, but she still wore a smile on her face because they’d WON. And she still seemed to glow, with that beautiful energy of passion and goodness, a glow that drew Glimmer in like a moth to a flame, and without realising she’d found herself clung to Adora’s front, their lips together, she’d caught a glimpse of her surprised eyes just an inch away before both of them closed and sunk into each other._

“Adora…?”

“Mm?”

Adora looked up from her book, turning her head slightly to the side and giving a gentle smile that was infinitely reassuring, that told Glimmer she was always there and always listening, whatever it was she had to say.

“Do you remember…”

_Adora was like a frenzied little puppy sometimes. It wasn’t like they’d been apart for very long at all! But as soon as they’d reunited Adora had picked her up and was outright smothering her in affections, grinning like the two of them had just won the universe as a prize. In seconds she’d nosed and nuzzled at Glimmer’s cheeks, under her chin, bringing Glimmer to helpless laughter and giggles only for there to be a sudden silence as she found Adora’s mouth on hers. It was such a surprise that it took her a few seconds to realise what was happening, reciprocating as soon as her brain caught up with her heart trying to explode in her chest. She never wanted to let go of this, but then again, it might not be so bad going away if coming back was like this._

“Remember what?”

Adora was still looking at her, giving that same patient smile, waiting for Glimmer to gather her thoughts.

“Just, um…” A slight flush crossed her cheeks. She felt so sappy, so sentimental, but then those were the things that Adora loved so much about her so she didn’t for one second feel embarrassed or ashamed. “Do you remember… our first kiss?”

_They were at a party, technically a ball, in the Salineas royal palace, Mermista liked to throw a good celebration from time to time and it was clearly partly an excuse to have Seahawk appear and make a scene which was always entertaining. It was getting on in the night, they were deep into the throes of food intoxication and their dancing legs were starting to get sluggish. None of them could manage the final slow dance particularly well, Glimmer’s eyes were heavy, Adora was wobbling with each step and Bow looked like he was just about ready to pass out. When she next looked up they were the last two on the dancefloor but Adora was still soldiering on, her face twisted in concentration. Glimmer had to laugh. She was so dedicated, so focused, so intent on seeing everything through to its last. Well, there was only one way to finish a dance like this. Adora had blinked in surprise when she abruptly stopped moving her feet, but then Glimmer had reached up and around her head and pulled her face closer, closer, eyes fluttering shut-_

 “Our first…?” Adora blinked a couple of times, seemingly a little puzzled by the question. “You mean, our very first?”

“Yeah!”

_Well, this date was a total bust. They’d wanted to climb the hills around Brightmoon, see the view of Etheria from up high, apparently it was even possible to spot the Heart-Blossom from up there, or the Salineas sea gate. Sadly the weather had other ideas and they now found themselves running, squealing, through a torrential downpour that had them soaked through in minutes. In the shelter of a copse of trees they found a little respite, staring out into a downpour that cloaked the landscape. Glimmer had been so apologetic, in fact she’d got herself quite worked up about how badly things had turned up, but of course Adora only laughed it off, squeezed her, told her any day was a good day if it was with her. And then, with water still trailing off their hair down their faces, they’d shared a damp kiss that warmed her to her core._

“…You know, I’m not sure I do. Why?”

Glimmer wondered if she should be disappointed. “Well… I dunno. It’s meant to be a big deal, I guess?”

“Huh.”

“Like… a special moment in your lives, where you realised you knew the person you wanted to be with, wanted to share all your time with.”

“Hm. When you put it like that…”

_Glimmer had woken groggily, blinking into the sunlight piercing through the windows into her bed. She’d squinted, holding up an arm as her eyes adjusted to the brightness. Gradually, the form next to her came into focus, sprawled out over definitely more than half of the bed, body partly jutting out from under the covers. She’d sniggered quietly to herself, careful not to wake her, brushing a hand through Adora’s wonderful golden hair, pulling a few loose strands of it out of her mouth. So much for a sleeping beauty. Adora had mumbled something, shifted slightly, groaned and grumbled and then snorted. Glimmer had to hold a hand to her mouth not to laugh out loud. This was her girlfriend, huh? She’d leaned down, whispered a good morning, then woke the dreaming princess on the lips._

Adora had put a hand to her cheek, brushing it with her thumb and turning Glimmer’s face to look back at hers. Glimmer had blinked. “Huh?”

“I think… our first kiss?”

“Y-yeah?”

“…feels like every one I share with you.”

Adora moved towards her and Glimmer leaned in to meet her, hands squeezing each other as they kissed for the first time yet again.


	2. Day Two - Cliché Tropes (Stuck on a Ferris Wheel)

“So… _what_ exactly is it Entrapta’s made?”

“A Ferris Wheel! It’s, like…” Glimmer rolled her hand in the air, trying to come up with a decent explanation. One that didn’t sound totally mad. “It’s… a big wheel that has seats in it. And it lifts you up real high so you can see all around you!”

“Huh. And… why?”

Glimmer stopped, once again pausing for thought. Adora, arm-in-arm with her, looked perplexed.

 _Why_ was a good question. Well, not so much _why_ as in “ _Why do Ferris Wheels exist?”_ but more _“Why did Entrapta build one, of all things, in Brightmoon?”_ And that no doubt was one that would take many months more to unravel. The reality is that it simply… was. Not that anyone had any specific complaints about it.

“Because… it’s fun! You can see for miles up there!”

“Buuut… can’t you do that easily anyways? I mean, you _can_ teleport.”

Glimmer bit her lip. Sometimes her girlfriend’s innocent ignorance was just a _little_ frustrating.

“But it’s more _fun_ this way! Cause… you just get to sit there and enjoy it!”

“Huh… right.”

Glimmer sighed and simply smiled, tugging on Adora’s arm. “Come on… just give it a try with me? _Please?_ It probably won’t be around for long once my mom finds out. I wanna ride it at least once before it comes down again!”

_Or collapses… with Entrapta that was always a distinct possibility, one she was quietly pushing to the back of her mind._

 

It was a noisy piece of work. It rattled, it grated, and there was a brief swaying back and forth each time it stopped to allow riders on and off. It seemed… safe enough, but there were a handful of pasty faces on board as the small carriages wobbled from side to side and more than a few people rushing away with apparent nausea once they hopped off. Adora herself looked a little nervous, now, giving Glimmer a look of uncertainty.

“Are… you _sure_ about this? I mean-”

“It’s _fine!_ It’s fine. Entrapta wouldn’t put something up that could _kill_ us!” _Wouldn’t she?_ Glimmer looked around quickly for any glimpse of purple hair, half expecting the goggled girl to pop up with a more specific estimation of their odds for survival. She was, however, comfortably tucked away in the small maintenance booth she’d set up behind the wheel. Spotting the two other princesses approaching she looked up with a grin and frenzied wave while her hair went on working attentively at the controls.

“See…! She knows what she’s doing!”

“That’s… not 100% likely, but…”

“Come on, come on! It’s our turn!”

Rushing forward, Glimmer all but dragged Adora up the steps to the waiting carriage as it shuddered to a halt, allowing two fawns glistening with sweat to trot off, presumably to find somewhere quiet and relaxing to recover from the ordeal. Glimmer took her seat first, giving Adora a thumbs up while the other girl clambered aboard with a dubious expression.

“Wait… what do we hold on to?”

“You can hold on to me, babe-”

“No, _seriously_ , there’s no-”

Too late. They were moving and Adora fell back into her seat with a squeal. Quickly she gripped onto Glimmer’s arm with both hands, eyes going wide as they swung forwards and found themselves on the same level as the thatched rooftops of the town. Glimmer, for her part, was much more relaxed – when you could teleport away in an instant if things became a bit hairy you tended not to fret so much about heights, no matter how shaky the ground beneath you. Adora, on the other hand, wasn’t looking so sure about things at all.

“It’s not so bad, see! It won’t be _that_ long anyways, maybe just like, five minutes!”

“I… sure hope so.”

Glimmer smiled reassuringly and pet the back of Adora’s hand as again they moved forwards and upwards, the structure creaking around them disconcertingly. Adora swallowed, her hand going atop Glimmer’s and clutching it, squeezing it.

“So… the Horde’s no trouble, but a scary ride has you quaking in your boots?”

“Don’t tease me!! I’m just not used to it!”

Glimmer giggled, resting her head on Adora’s shoulder. “It’s cute seeing you all worked up like this, though! Don’t worry, I wouldn’t tell Bow, mostly ‘cause he’s just as bad with heights…”

“It’s not _heights!_ It’s just… it’s freaky, okay? It’s all so… rickety.”

“Not much longer, now… don’t worry. I’m here.”

Sure enough, they found themselves finally at the peak of the ride and wow, what a view it really was! The ocean stretching out to the horizon on one side, the whispering woods on another, valleys and plains behind them… Glimmer gazed in awe with a bright-eyed grin.

“Adora- Adora, look! Look around!”

“I- I really don’t-”

“Come on, it’s okay!”

Glimmer stood up and the carriage wobbled, making Adora yelp. She looked up at Glimmer and whined, “Nooo… Glimmer, sit down, please!”

“It’s okay! It’s okay!” Glimmer insisted, pointing off at the distance. “Oh! That’s Frosta’s palace, I’m _sure_ of it! It’s so far away…”

_“Glimmerrrrrr”_

“And there! Isn’t that Dryl…?”

“Why aren’t we moving… shouldn’t we be moving? I want to go down…”

“Adora, come _on!_ This view is incredible!”

“Glimmer!”

She looked back to see Adora looking pleadingly up at her, clutching herself with discomfort and distress. “Glimmer… we’re not moving. We’re meant to be moving.”

“Huh? No… no, not yet, I think?”

“No… I was counting. Counting down. We should have moved by now.”

Now Glimmer paused and listened, it did occur to her that the structure was continuing to creak and groan around them, as though fighting against something. There was also some mixed cries of alert and upset from below. She peered down to see people in similar states of confusion and concern, waving down to Entrapta who was now working a lot more hurriedly than before.

“I think… maybe it’s got stuck, or something?”

“No… no, no, no, I want to get off- I want to get down!”

The colour was draining from Adora’s face now, her expression becoming more panicked. She was breathing quickly, too, probably too quickly. Glimmer quickly sat down again and touched her hand, which she pulled away sharply.

“Adora… Adora, it’s okay, I’m here. Nothing bad’s gonna happen, it’s just some sort of glitch or hiccup or something, Entrapta’ll fix it…”

“No, no, no, no, no… I have to get off- where’s my sword, why didn’t I bring my sword, I have to get down-” She peered over the side next, as though looking for a way down, but it only made her go from pale to green as she saw the ground what must have felt like a mile below. “Oh god, oh god, oh god…”

“Adora- Adora! It’s okay, really-!”

“Please, please, please…”

“ _Adora!_ Look at me!”

Adora, trembling now, turned her panicked eyes towards Glimmer who held her hands out slowly, offering her palms to Adora’s shaking hands. “Take my hands. It’ll be okay. We’ve got through worse, together.” She smiled. “Trust me.”

There was a second’s hesitation from Adora, then she slowly, shakily took Glimmer’s hands. Then a shiver went down her spine and she thrust herself forward, gripping her arms tightly around the other princess, who just smiled and ran her hands reassuringly down Adora’s back.

“It’s okay… we’ll be fine. Nothing bad will happen.”

“Okay… okay… okay…”

 

The two of them barely even noticed that the ride had started moving, who knows how long after it had stopped. It might have been just a minute, it might have been twenty or forty. But when Glimmer and Adora next looked up they were back at ground level and a bashful-looking Entrapta was toying her hands together apologetically. “Ahh… I may have got a few wires crossed up while trying to optimise the revolution mechanism… turns out the transformers can be short-circuited pretty easy! Anyway, ahhh, I think your mom’s not too happy about this whole… _thing…_ so, maybe don’t tell her I screwed up too bad? And I’ll dismantle it _real_ fast before anything else happens…”

Glimmer simply stared at her, still trying to catch up with the former few of the girl’s sentences. But with an exhausted Adora clung to her side, gratefully bouncing her heels off solid ground again, she just sighed and waved off Entrapta’s inquiries with vague agreement.

 

It wasn’t until they were back on the castle grounds that Adora stopped a moment, blinked, then turned, squinting, towards Glimmer once more.

“Glimmer…”

“Adora?”

“Why… couldn’t you have just teleported us down?”

Glimmer’s face flushed up.

Busted.


	3. Day Three - Domestic Life

“Glimmer? Glimmer!”

All Adora got in response to her knocking was heavy muffled groaning, which told her Glimmer was awake but not at all co-operative. She sighed, shook her head and knocked again. “Glimmer! We had a date! Come on…”

“I’m- I’m not feeling it today!”

“Glimmer? Are you sick?”

“No… I just… _urghhhhhh…_ ”

Adora paused, frowning, with one hand on the door. Pursing her lips she pushed it gently open. “I’m coming in, okay?”

“Okay…”

When she stepped in, Glimmer wasn’t anywhere to be seen which told Adora that she’d not even managed to drag herself out of bed. She sighed, hopping up the ‘steps’ and peering over the edge at the lethargic princess groaning in a pile of blankets within. Gently she pulled herself up and knelt over her. “Hey… what’s up? You’re not normally _this_ bad in the mornings.”

“Ughhh… it’s just, you know…” Glimmer pulled the blankets halfway up her face, which was reddening. “It’s embarrassing…”

“Hey… you can tell me. I won’t laugh or anything, promise.” Adora’s hand sought out Glimmers, struggling for a few moments to find it under the blanket before clasping its palm and squeezing. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s…” Glimmer paused, then started to mumble. _“…it’s my time of month…”_

Adora just looked at her. She half considered laughing but with her promise in mind she reserved herself to a smile and reassuring pat of Glimmer’s hand. “Is _that_ it? Oh, Glimmer…”

“W-what? I mean… yeah, but- uggh!” Glimmer pulled her head back under the blankets, leaving Adora to just pat the bulge where her face was seconds before.

“Glimmer, back in the Horde we lived together, ate together, worked together, slept together… this isn’t, like, a new thing for me. I get the mood swings, myself, sometimes!”

“I just… I guess…” her head resurfaced, pushing her sparkly hair up into Adora’s hand and sending a minor shower of sparks fluttering between her fingers. “I don’t normally have anyone to talk to about it… you know I don’t have many friends like you and Bow… and he doesn’t get his anymore…”

“Wow, rude of him.”

Glimmer sniggered, sighing into Adora’s gentle petting and ruffling of her hair. Adora smiled at her, sliding down and under the covers next to her in order to place a delicate kiss to her forehead. “Well. I guess we’re having an indoors date today, then!”

“Noooo, you don’t have to-”

“Glimmer. I am going to get you a hot drink. I am going to bring you some snacks. You are going to sit here and be warm and comfortable and I am not leaving your side the whole time.” Adora smirked at her with narrowed eyes. “You do not have any choice in this matter.”

“Adora-a-a-a…”

Glimmer offered some feeble resistance but her expression gave her away entirely. Seeing her weak little smile, Adora chuckled and booped her nose with a finger.

“You stay right here.”

“Fi-i-i-ine…”

Adora gave her one more gentle brushing over her forehead, Glimmer reaching up with needy hands to try and grab her arm but she was already gone, hopped off the bed and quietly closing the door behind her.

 

When she re-entered the room, after knocking and calling out gently again, she found Glimmer no longer in her bed but in the pile of pillows on ground level, still bundled up tightly in a blanket burrito. Adora raised an eyebrow as she crossed, successfully managing to just about balance the tray she’d carried all the way up from the kitchen. “I _thought_ I told you to stay in bed?”

“I don’t wanna lie up there all day… and I was getting all gross and sweaty! And anyways… you couldn’t have got my tea up there, right?”

Adora huffed, setting the tray down and sitting next to her, bumping their shoulders together. “I _guess_ you’re right. Okay, you’re off the hook for now. But you’re on _thin ice_.”

Glimmer hummed a slight giggle, resting her head on Adora’s shoulder and snaking her arms around the other girl’s waist. “Hold meeeeee…”

“Hey, now, hold on, you have to drink this first!”

_“Hold meeeeeeeee”_

Ugh. She tugged insistently on Adora’s shirt and she sighed, smirking as she pulled an arm around Glimmer who proceeded to take hold of Adora’s hand in both of hers. She sighed, her shoulders sagging as she relaxed in that position. In the meantime Adora managed to reach over to the steaming cup that sat on the tray, offering it slowly over towards Glimmer.

“You gotta sip this, okay? You’ll feel better.”

Glimmer murmured a vague acknowledgement, not paying any real attention to Adora’s words for a minute. Adora bumped her insistently and she stirred again, looking up and pouting.

“Drink it. _Then_ you can nap.”

“Hmmrrh…”

Still grumbling like a brat, Glimmer took hold of the cup, blowing on it then gingerly sipping the hot liquid inside. She immediately started choking, thrusting the cup back at Adora as she doubled over coughing.

“Euuurgggh! _What is that?_ ”

“It’s a herbal drink!” Adora blinked, pouting herself now. “Ginger and berries and lemon and… stuff.”

“And _stuff?”_

Adora sniffed at the cup, now looking a little more bashful. “Well… you know! Herbs!”

“You don’t _know?”_

“Well… it usually helped back in the Horde! It settles your stomach!”

“Oh god… I think, I think I’ll pass…” Glimmer breathed in and out slowly, pulling the blankets up again and pushing her head onto Adora’s lap. Adora, sighing, set the cup back aside and began to trail her fingers gently down the back of Glimmer’s neck, who hummed a soft pleased noise.

“Sorry… I guess I remember now that it’s not the nicest stuff.”

“Well… you get points for trying.”

Glimmer’s arms and legs now coiled around Adora’s thigh, clinging on to the other girl tightly. “God, I just wanna sleep…”

“Take a nap, then! I won’t move.”

“Mmm…”

It didn’t take long for Glimmer to go quiet again, her steady breathing in and out the only sound she now made. Well, with her out of action, no reason for Adora not to do the same…

 

Another groan heralded Glimmer’s return from her third trip to the bathroom. Adora looked up from the floor pillow and blanket pile, smiling sympathetically. She offered a glass of water, which Glimmer took and downed in one before faceplanting the pillows and nuzzling into Adora’s lap.

“You doing okay?”

“Wanna die…”

Adora pet the top of her head, chuckling. “You’re doing great. We’ll get through this.”

“Why does my body hate me, Adora.”

“It’s just jealous of how much I love you.”

Glimmer giggle-groaned. “Don’t be _dorky_ at me when I’m suffering!”

“How about you shut up and eat something? Bow told me where to get your favourite.”

Adora lowered the plate down to her, piled up with sweet pastries of all kinds. Cinnamon, custard, icing, apricot… Glimmer looked like she could cry. Actually, she did, a bit, blowing her nose on the blankets.

“Adora… I-I love you, too…” she mumbled before stuffing one in her mouth and munching it down like she hadn’t eaten for a decade. Adora laughed, twirling her hair between her fingers.

“I know, I know, I’m like, totally the best.”

“Mmf… Myou Marre…”

“Eat _slowly_ , dummy!”

“Mo!”

Glimmer balled up, ploughing her way through the plate with terrifying frenzy. Adora could hardly bear to watch nor did she dare attempt to take one for herself. When Glimmer’s assault on the dish ended, Adora was left once again with a lazy snoozing girlfriend in her lap, whom she was again left to simply pet and comfort with soft cooing sounds.

“I’m so lucky…” she mumbled to herself.

As the evening drew on outside, the two had still barely left the room save for Adora’s further trips to and from the kitchens to fetch more snacks and tea for an increasingly demanding Glimmer. As they sat pressed up together, tightly wrapped up in an ever growing bundle of blankets and hot water bottles, Adora pulled a hairbrush delicately through Glimmer’s hair which had progressively grown tattier and more dishevelled.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you about the paper towels…”

“That was yelling? I’ve heard scarier from Bow on a bad day!”

“Shut _uuuup_ , I’m trying to be apologetic!”

“Glimmer. You think I’ve not had to deal with a stressed-out screaming Catra on her bad days?”

“……Point taken.”

Adora leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “But you’re forgiven anyway. Just, you know, you’re gonna have to deal with a storm of your own someday.”

“…Yeah, I’m gonna hide that sword when that day comes.”


	4. Day Four - Flirting

“Someone has to tell her.”

“I’m _not_ telling her.”

“It’s getting pretty embarrassing, to be honest.”

“ _Please_ don’t make me tell her!”

“Maybe we should just… see how it plays out? Maybe we’re totally misinterpreting things!”

Bow, Perfuma, Mermista and Frosta sat around the table, their faces a shared expression of dead seriousness. At least, all of them besides bow who was hiding his face and already deeply regretting calling this minor conference to settle the _very pressing matter_ that was Glimmer and Adora.

“Bow, you’ve known Glimmer the longest…” Perfuma turned to face him, fingers rubbing at her chin causing little rose petals to manifest in midair and flutter to the floor. “Are you _sure_ she’s trying to…”

“Perfuma.” Frosta cut in with a sigh. “She has literally jumped at _every single chance_ to compliment Adora in the past week. Yesterday she was _subtly_ dropping hints about how she felt when Adora entered the room. She also said, ‘When you walk in the _A-door-a’_.” She paused for a beat. “As in, the-”

“Yeah. The door. We got it.” Mermista cut in, leaning forwards on the table with her palms on her cheeks. “At _least_ she hasn’t started _serenading_ yet. If she goes _anywhere_ beyond _humming,_ I swear to god-”

“Oh! No, you might be onto something!” Perfuma clapped her hands together. “She should confess her feelings in _song!_ ”

“What? No. No, that is the like, _opposite_ of what I was saying.”

“Oh, but think of how _romantic!_ A starlit rendezvous, a heartfelt chorus, with the sounds of nature calling out in perfect harmony…” Perfuma’s hands were clasped together and her eyes seemed to shimmer with joy, her lip trembling. The others paused and stared in silence.

“Perfuma.” Mermista groaned, planting her palm on her forehead. “This is not about _your_ perfect date. It’s about, you know… Glimmer? And Adora?”

“…Uh, yeah, Glimmer is… _not_ going to do any singing.” Bow stated, shaking his head slowly. “Right now she can barely manage proper sentences around Adora! I have to like, translate for her! _‘Hey, Glimmer!’ ‘Aah, uhh, hiiii, Adora, you’re looking, uh, very, blonde today!’ ‘Oh yeah, Glimmer, you’re right! Adora does look happy today!’”_ He scraped fingers down his face, groaning. “Seriously, if this gets any worse I think I’ll end up having to date Adora _for_ her…”

“Oh!”

“No, Perfuma.”

“No no no- what if we invited Adora on a date… _for_ Glimmer?” She clapped her hands, “And we sign her name!”

There was silence around the table again.

“That is, like… _super_ asking for trouble.”

“I agree. We don’t even _know_ if Adora would accept!”

“Now that you mention it…” Bow paused for a second in thought. “I… _don’t_ actually know if Adora knows what dating is?”

“What. No. No way.”

“I mean, think about it! The Horde isn’t exactly _known_ for being a happy dreamland where everyone is all lovey-dovey and running through the fields of roses and stuff… maybe she just… doesn’t know it’s a thing?”

“Oh…” Perfuma clutched a hand to her chest, a slight tear coming to her eye. “Oh, that’s so sad! Of _course_ she doesn’t understand Glimmer’s feelings!”

“It _would_ explain why she was so confused that time Glimmer literally yelled in her face about wanting to hold her hand and walk along the beach and fall asleep watching the sunset together…”

Once again, silence fell like a barrel full of rubber bricks. Everyone was staring at Mermista, who looked around at them slowly.

“…Oh. Yeah. I guess that it _was_ kinda weird.”

“When did she say that?!”

“Liiiiike, ten minutes ago or something? I kinda dodged out of that one. It was a little uncomfortable and anyways, Bow wanted to hold this meeting or whatever.”

 _“Mermista.”_ Bow had slammed both his hands forwards on the table, gaping at her. “Are. You. Telling. Me. Glimmer. Basically. _Yelled her feelings at Adora just now?”_

“Yeaaaah, that sounds like what that was. I was kind of like, wow, kind of a bold way of flirting, you know? But hey, whatever works for her…”

Before any more of them could say a word, there was a bright flash as Glimmer materialised in front of them all, collapsing onto the table with a _crash_. They barely had a moment more to react before she’d flung herself forwards at Bow, grabbing him by the shoulders and pressing her face into his.

_“BOW! BOW! I THINK ME AND ADORA ARE DATING I TOLD HER EVERYTHING BECAUSE NOTHING ELSE WAS WORKING AND SHE SAID YES BUT ALSO APPARENTLY ALL THOSE TIMES SHE WAS COMPLIMENTING MY FIGHTING TECHNIQUE SHE WAS TRYING TO GET MY ATTENTION TOO AND I FEEL SO STUPID AND WE’RE DATING NOW OH MY GOD I TOLD HER SHE HAS BLUE EYES AND THAT’S NOT EVEN A COMPLIMENT HOW AM I GONNA TELL HER SHE’S PRETTY IF I CAN’T EVEN-”_

Glimmer was shaking the poor boy so hard his head was simply flung back and forth with no opportunity to even take a breath in order to speak. As the others stared on in disbelief, Frosta simply sighed again and touched her fingers to her forehead in exasperation.

“I am going to make a pact never to fall for someone, ever.”


	5. Day Five - After a Battle

“Come on, Glimmer, hold still…”

“Sorry… ah!”

Glimmer sucked in her breath through her teeth and trembled as Adora pressed the cold cloth to the cuts and scratches on her arms, the disinfectant stinging painfully for a moment before fading gradually to a faint throb. Adora, for her part, was slow, tender and careful – checking her over thoroughly at each point, taking her time to ensure every slight wound was seen to and cared for.

“Hold this in place for me?”

“Got it.”

Adora took her hand away to allow Glimmer to press the dressing down on one of the larger wounds, pausing for a moment and shaking her head. “More pressure. Like this,” she delicately held Glimmer’s arm in one hand and pressed down on the dressing with the other, holding it firmly against the cut. She smiled reassuringly still, rubbing a thumb affectionately on the back of Glimmer’s hand. “That’s right.”

Glimmer laughed, feeling almost like a child again being nurtured after a fall. “Wow, you sound years ahead of me right now…”

“Have to know how to take care of this stuff, you know.” Adora smiled and went on working as she replied, wrapping up the bandage and tying it off before raising up the arm above chest level, Glimmer’s hand on her opposite shoulder. “Keep it there, yeah? And tell me if it’s too tight.”

“You should do lessons or something,” Glimmer couldn’t help but run her fingers along the neatly wrapped bandage, impressed with Adora’s skilful work – though Adora batted her hand away seconds later to keep her from fiddling with it. “It could be really handy for the other princesses to know this stuff!”

“You know, I always figured you just got to wave your hands around and make everything better.”

“Well… it’s usually better to let stuff heal naturally, so long as it’s not like, super urgent or anything. Your body needs to be able to look after itself, especially the little things. It’s like, uh… I mean, if I teleported _everywhere_ I might forget how to walk, right?”

“Huh, that makes sense. And on that note… you’ve recharged, right?” Glimmer nodded, to which Adora responded by putting a finger to her nose. “You’re officially banned from teleporting for the time being! At least a couple of days. You need the energy to heal, okay? So take it easy.”

“Ugh, okay _mom_!”

Glimmer pushed at Adora’s face playfully with a smirk, getting a chuckle from the other girl who then took her hand and kissed it. “I’m only looking out for my wonderful girlfriend who unfortunately is mere flesh and bone whereas _I_ am immortal and unstoppable!”

They shared a laugh, Glimmer leaning up to quickly kiss Adora proper before pausing, looking the other girl over.

“Aren’t you hurt at all? Maybe I should check on you, too… you’re not _that_ invincible.”

Adora paused, briefly looking away. She tried to look quickly back but it had already given the game away. Glimmer put a hand on her shoulder. “Adora. Are you hurt?”

“Not… badly.”

“That’s a yes. Where?”

Adora once again tried to avoid eye contact, but the matter was settled the moment Glimmer had asked. She stepped away, sighing, and began to remove her shirt. The air between them was serious enough that Glimmer felt nothing but worry as Adora bared skin, a gasp escaping her as Adora then turned around.

There wasn’t any bleeding, not anymore, but there were numerous wheals scraped down her back – and she didn’t have to think long to assume their source. They looked sore, reddened, the beginnings of scabs forming but it was almost a guarantee that they’d scar given time.

Glimmer wasn’t sure what to say. What could she say? Adora hadn’t tried to hide them – not really anyway. Probably she was just too much of a stupid idiot hero to bring it up, not before she’d seen to Glimmer first. She pouted, secretly annoyed at Adora’s blind selflessness more than anything.

“…Should I clean them?” was all she said out loud.

“…Please.”

“Okay.” She took the bottle of disinfectant, damping a bit of cloth with it just like Adora had for her. When she placed it to the top of Adora’s shoulders she felt the other girl tense up but no noise escaped her, nor did she make any move to escape the horrible stinging she was probably experiencing with each touch of the cloth. Glimmer didn’t need to reassure her more than she was simply by treating her; Adora was a fighter, she knew battle, she knew pain. There was so much of her that Glimmer wanted to be, and likewise a lot she hoped she never would have to.

Adora was strong, too strong, far stronger than it was fair for anyone to be expected to be. But she bore all of it with such dignity and humility, like it meant nothing, like it was just how things _were_ for her.

No words were spoken between them until Glimmer was done, at which point she simply whispered “there,” and laid the cloth down before taking Adora’s arm and hugging it tightly, pulling it in, pressing its hand to her cheek, feeling its cool fingers against her warm flushed skin.

She promised to herself there and then, that Adora would never have to bear any little bit more of a burden as long as she was there to relieve her of any small part of it.

If it was for Adora, she’d come to know pain just as well.


	6. Day Six - The Future

The more time went by, the more Adora couldn’t so easily ignore the aching in her arms and legs from standing at Glimmer’s side for the greater part of each passing sun.

Their routine was mostly identical each day: Adora would be first to rise, to wash and dress and then rouse Glimmer to assist her in the same; they’d eat together, alone, then hand in hand they’d proceed to the throne room to address the day’s concerns and any pressing matters.

The matters at hand were… tame, nowadays. The Horde was done. Their days of adventure had long passed. Now the kingdoms had fallen into a steady, tranquil peace. In fact, it almost became frustrating to Adora to see the issues that were brought before them; when you’ve faced the gates of hell and prevented oblivion, everything else seems so much more… petty.

But of course, Queen Glimmer was overflowing in patience and kindness, and Adora, ever her guardian, her advisor, her lover, never once doubted her wisdom or decisions. Brightmoon had flourished under her direction, risen up from the shadow of its troubled history that wasn’t actually so long past even if it felt like another lifetime.

Adora, the She-Ra now mostly in name only for lack of a current _need_ for such a hero, was more now a symbol of justice and hope than a force of good. It was better this way, to be seen as who she was; really just a woman who espoused kindness and humility above all, who moved past a troubled past, rejected what was forced upon her and took destiny into her own hands. An embodiment of the fact that anyone could be a hero if they take the right stand.

Glimmer might be Brightmoon’s angel and leader but Adora was the overseer of her will, a terrestrial enactor of goodness more than a celestial force; the latter was too incorporeal, too imperceptible and supernatural for people to hold onto forever as a source of strength without relying on blind faith alone. Glimmer was someone they could trust, immortal, benevolent, divine; Adora was someone they could look up to, to strive towards.

But material meant mortal.

It started as a few stumbles, some sore muscles and pains that came and went without any discernible source. Glimmer had fussed over her for days because _Adora had never once shown this kind of weakness_ but it was all perfectly normal, natural; she had no reason to be at the top of her game anymore, no driving pressure to be in tip top condition at all times. A few weeks of training and she’d felt refreshed for months to pass, never better!

Then she’d moved a bit too fast, twisted in just the wrong way, somehow, and suddenly she couldn’t move her leg.

It was nothing bad, the healer had said, nothing permanent – just a torn tendon; for a period it was excruciating but time was the greatest medicine and in a few weeks she had nothing worse than a hobble to scar her with. Not the worst, not the nastiest of wounds. But Glimmer couldn’t help but notice the slight wince whenever Adora put a bit too much pressure on that foot again, or remember the days she walked with such a long, confident stride that Glimmer had to put so much energy into keeping up with.

One day she looked back and realised she’d been walking ahead of Adora and the other woman hadn’t said a word.

“Please,” she’d begged, “Sit by my side, you don’t have to stand there like a statue anymore! It won’t help anyone to wear yourself out for no reason!”

It was the wrong thing to say, however, to bring any doubt over Adora’s condition.

“No, it’s fine,” she’d insisted with _that_ smile which was like the crisp, cool wind of a winter morning against her face. “It’s just a phase, I’ll get over it soon enough.”

Glimmer had at least convinced her to lay down her sword, which was instead mounted behind her as another, separate symbol of what and who She-ra had been. They were in no real danger, there was no need for her to be on guard and ready for combat, to offer her body and blade in defense of her Queen. Times had changed.

But the phase did not pass.

Glimmer had found a strand of grey among those golden threads on Adora’s head and nearly cried, too kind at the time to tell Adora what had caused her upset.

She knew exactly how many wrinkles had begun to appear at the corners of her eyes.

She noted each stumble, each falter, each time Adora had accidentally dropped something because her eyes had misjudged her grip.

One night, in their bed, she had been unable to contain her emotions and, while clutching Adora’s face to her chest had bawled her eyes out uncontrollably, running her fingers through her hair and hung on so delicately as though she were afraid her lover might crumple into nothing at too heavy a touch. Adora, confused and apprehensive, had felt the sting of tears in her own eyes at the sight when she questioned what was wrong.

“You’re… you’re getting older, Adora, while I can’t help but stay as young as I was when I first _took_ this throne… I can’t stop seeing how slow you are now, how tired you look, and it just… upsets me so much, having to sit here so powerless stop it while you fade away in front of me! I don’t- I don’t want to lose you, I shouldn’t have to, not after everything we worked towards… It’s not fair!”

Adora had laughed at the petulance in her tone, had kissed Glimmer’s shoulder.

“Oh, Glimmer… I’ve got plenty of time. More than I probably have any right to. And I promised you every last minute of it.”

“But even then, I’ll still be the same… and I’ll have to watch you-”

“Oh what, like it’d be any fairer for our positions to be swapped?”

“That’s… no, you know what I mean…”

“Glimmer. When I joined the rebellion, all those years ago, I was ready to die then and there for what I thought was right. What I thought was good. I would happily have given up my life for Etheria, for Brightmoon. For you and what you stood for.”

“But that-!”

“It was years ago, yeah. I know. But besides the Horde, besides the rebellion, besides all that… nothing has changed. I’ve stood by what I believed in. What I loved.”

She’d taken Glimmer’s face in her hands and kissed her forehead. “Nothing about that has changed. When the time comes, I’ll die knowing I loved you and stood by you until my last breath.

“Whenever that comes… you’ll know I went peacefully, happily and with no regrets.

“Until then… I’ll be happy, satisfied and with no fear. Because I’ll be with you.”


	7. Day Seven - Alternate Universe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PHEW this was the latest one cause of Christmas and general life chaos and I truncated it a lot as a result but I still think it's suitably adorkable so just gonna dish it up hot B)

It’s 3am.

Glimmer is drunk.

Glimmer is sad.

Glimmer is so, so hungry.

It’s a recipe for disaster of the best kind.

She’s not sure exactly how it happened. The phone seemed to work by itself. She’s sure she never consented to calling up the new pizza place, there’s food in the kitchen and not enough money in her wallet, her hands betrayed her, but before she knows it she’s staring at the online tracker watching the little blip move from street to street, gradually getting closer and closer…

**YOUR RIDER IS: ADORA**

_Adora. A-dor-a. Adore-ya. A door, ah! She giggles on the couch and promptly drops the phone on her face. What a cute name. Adora. My heaven-sent pizza saviour. My cheese-topped goddess. Adoraaaaaaaa._

When the doorbell rings she’s on the floor. She jumps up immediately and hits her head on the edge of the table. She yells something unprintable. She stubs her toe running to the hallway. Take a breath, Glimmer, you have to look _somewhat_ presentable for the lady. Also, cash, cash, cash, where are you cash…

She stumbles the last few paces to the front door, props herself up on the frame. One last breath. She opens the door.

“Hiiiii-”

Her soul leaves her body.

 

* * *

 

“Damn, that’s a tough trip, you think you can handle it?”

“You wanna put a bet on it?”

“Hell no. Definitely.”

“Five bucks says I make it in ten.”

“Screw you. I’m in.”

Adora grinned, and did finger pistols on her way out the door before pulling her helmet on and in seconds was in the saddle, pedalling like her life depended on it though it was mostly her honour at stake.

She wasn’t rider of the month for nothing, though Catra was most of her motivation – she couldn’t resist the girl’s dares and wagers and sometimes just plain old taunts. But also she was just a damn good rider. She dodged and weaved between traffic effortlessly, not pausing even to offer a flipped bird in response to honked horns and flashed lights. She was at a full-on sprint for most of the way, even when she hit the hill.

Brightmoon hill. Bane of delivery riders everywhere.

Her colleagues cursed its name, but she thrived on the challenge. Her teeth were gritted in determination as she hit it in third gear, her heart thumping in her ears with each turn of the wheel. She pictured Catra back in the restaurant, staring at her watch with that smirk she just _hated_ wiping off her face.

She was there in eight minutes thirty-three seconds and her shirt was sticking to her back, her face glistened with a fresh layer of sweat. The pizza box was still piping hot.

Gleefully she rang the bell with the most genuine of cheery grins plastered over her face. She heard… something unrepeatable from within. That was a reaction. Seconds passed. There were signs of movement but it was a full minute before the door finally opened, revealing a dishevelled-looking, pink-haired girl doing her utmost to stay upright while offering a wonky grin.

“Hiiiiii!”

She seemed to get lost after that. Adora tried her best not to laugh. This was _not_ her first “It’s 3am and I’m wasted” delivery and it sure wouldn’t be her last.

“Hi!” She waited for a response but none was coming fast. Smoothly she prompted, “Pizza!”

“Pizza!” was the reply, with a nod. Yes, pizza. Pizza good!

“Twelve dollars!” Small sentences. Small sentences worked best at 3am.

“Twelve… dollars!”

Ah, communication was wonderful.

A handful of paper bills were held out her way and Adora exchanged them for the pizza box before counting them out. She paused at the end, smiling.

“This is twenty!”

She got a blank stare. Adora waved the cash in the girl’s face slowly. “Twenty… dollars!”

“Oh! Keep it!”

“Tip? Thank you!”

“Thank _you,_ angel!”

“…Sorry?”

The door slammed shut in her face.

 

* * *

 

_Oh my god I called her an angel._

 

* * *

 

“Oh my god, she called me an angel.”

Catra’s laughter rang out heartily from the phone speaker.

 

* * *

 

* * *

 

“Hey Adora, you’re up.”

“No worries, boss- huh. This address is familiar.”

 

* * *

 

“Bow, that’s a _terrible_ idea!”

“No, it’s a _great_ idea!”

“…It’s an okay idea.”

Glimmer put her hands on her face. _“Mermista you are supposed to be on my side with this.”_

“What. I’m hungry, okay.”

“Then how about we order _literally anything other than pizza_ from _any other place in town.”_

“I want pizza.”

Mermista shrugged nonchalantly but the corner of her mouth betrayed the slightest of smirks.

“No no nonononono if it’s _her_ again I will literally _die_ \- _BOW PUT THE PHONE DOWN._ ”

“Hiiiii, yeah we’d like three large pizzas, one plain, one seafood specia-AAAA MERMISTA HELP”

Mermista coolly reached over to take the handset as Bow wrestled with an enraged Glimmer now grappling on his front, her height immediately making her all but impervious to a similar attack. Without missing a beat she went on, “Yeah one seafood special and one spicy vegetarian to 120 Brightmoon Hill. Yeah. Uh-huh. Thanks.”

“MERMISTA NO-”

“Sorry Glimmer, this is for lesbian Jesus.” Mermista tossed the handset back to her and reclaimed her seat, legs kicking over the side.

 

* * *

 

Ten minutes later and Adora was once again glowing, caked in sweat and pulling up to the front of the house. She double checked the address. Double checked the house front. Yep, this was the one alright. She sniggered to herself as she picked up the precious payload, the three boxes stacked on one hand as she rang the doorbell.

She was answered, to her surprise, not by a pink-haired little cutie but by a taller, blue-haired, still definitely pretty girl but more a sort of “Chaotic hot” than a “Chaotic cute”.

The girl said, “Oh.” That was new. Her eyes bulged out and she seemed to trip over her words which immediately broke that cool hot ice-queen aesthetic she had going. Quickly she called back, “Uhh, Glimmer! Pizza’s here.”

Adora waited. The pizza steamed in her hand. She simply put a hand on her hip and smirked.

A minute or so later a familiar face returned, much more sober-looking than before. ‘Glimmer’, huh? Glimmer again stammered, her face flushed up. “Ah- hello! You’re… pizza! Right?”

“Right! You got friends over, huh?”

“Y-yeah, well, it was their idea to get pizza… I mean, not that I didn’t not want pizza! From you, that is, you did… good pizza! Last time.” Adora’s grin widened and the girl balked. “Aaaahhh forget last time! I was, uh, really, you know,”

“Drunk?”

“Yeah! I mean, uh, not that I wasn’t- just because I was drunk, you know, doesn’t…”

Adora waved a hand at her with a grin. God, this was precious. Instead she just tugged out the receipt smoothly and scribbled on it.

“Here you go… three pizzas for twenty bucks! Plus something extra…”

 

* * *

 

Glimmer returned to the room a minute later, breathing heavily. She dropped the pizzas on the table. She walked over to the couch and crawled onto it. She buried her face into a cushion and screamed.

Mermista spoke up first. “Uh, so, Glimmer? Yeah, you’re like… totally understood, alright? She was, uh… something.”

Bow’s sparkle-eyes had activated and he bounced on his seat. “Awwww, now you both got a crush on her! Huh? What’s that, Glimmer?”

Glimmer was waving the receipt in his face. She screamed again, before slowly looking up at the two of them.

“…She gave me her number.”


End file.
